stakeholders
Those with stakes
Stakeholders are people or groups with an interest in something's outcome—a project, decision, or organization.
The term comes from someone holding stakes in a bet, but now dominates business and policy language: We need to consult all stakeholders before proceeding.
Stakeholders may include employees, investors, customers, communities, or anyone affected by an entity's actions.
The word often signals inclusive decision-making, though critics find it vague corporate jargon.
Those who commit capital
- employeesPaid staff members
- customersPeople who purchase goods
- suppliersThose who furnish goods
- creditorsThose owed payment
regulators · board · management · unions · NGOs · activists · analysts · media
Meeting seeking expert guidance
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
- participationAct of taking part
- collaborationJoint intellectual work
- communicationExchanging ideas or information
feedback · outreach · workshops · forums · meetings · liaison · interaction · transparency
Sources of worry
- prioritiesMost important things
- needsEssential requirements
- expectationsBeliefs about future outcomes
- objectivesIntended targets or ends
outcomes · preferences · demands · requirements · goals · rights · welfare · well-being
Supervision or inadvertent omission
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- fiduciaryAgent bound by loyalty
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- complianceAdhering to requirements
representation · voting · proxy · disclosure · reporting · bylaws · charters · duties
Diagram of correspondences
- identificationEstablishing who someone is
- matrixOrdered numerical arrangement
- prioritizationRanking by importance
- assessmentFormal evaluation of worth
classification · primary · secondary · internal · external · key · affected · influential
investors
Those who commit capital
creditors · regulators · board · management · unions · NGOs · activists · analysts · media · lobbyists
consultation
Meeting seeking expert guidance
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
- participationAct of taking part
- collaborationJoint intellectual work
communication · feedback · outreach · workshops · forums · meetings · liaison · interaction · transparency · accountability
concerns
Sources of worry
- prioritiesMost important things
- needsEssential requirements
- expectationsBeliefs about future outcomes
objectives · outcomes · preferences · demands · requirements · goals · rights · welfare · well-being · satisfaction
oversight
Supervision or inadvertent omission
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- fiduciaryAgent bound by loyalty
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
compliance · representation · voting · proxy · disclosure · reporting · bylaws · charters · duties · responsibilities
mapping
Diagram of correspondences
- identificationEstablishing who someone is
- matrixOrdered numerical arrangement
- prioritizationRanking by importance
assessment · classification · primary · secondary · internal · external · key · affected · influential · salience
- resourcesresources, money, natural resources, human resources, financial resources
- workjob, 9 to 5, jobs, labor, employee
- business termsfranchising, revenue stream, board meeting, gross margin, markdown
- strategystrategy, grand strategy, tactics, tactic, tactical
- boardroomconference table, board members, chairman, chairperson, directors
- buzzwordssynergy, leverage, paradigm, scalable, actionable
stakeholdersbystanders
People present but uninvolved
outsiders · onlookers · spectators · observers · passersby
- stakeholder analysisMapping affected parties' concerns
- stakeholder inputComments from invested parties
- stakeholder engagementInvolving parties with vested interests
- stakeholder meetingAssembly of invested parties